Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Summer
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Summer
Boom, boom, boom.
The approaching sound was too massive and earth-shaking to be mistaken for footsteps. One might wonder if this was how a dragon from legend walked. The vibrations, intense enough to be called an earthquake, rattled the detached palace.
"She’s quite furious."
A man draped in scarlet robes spoke up. Though his face bore few wrinkles, his eyes resembled an endless abyss, dimming any impression of youth.
The man sat as comfortably as if the detached palace were his own bedroom, a wine cup held casually in his hand resting on his knee. Boom, boom, boom... Even as the footsteps drew nearer and the tremors intensified, his body didn’t sway an inch, nor did the wine in his cup.
"Still as hot-tempered as ever?"
The man brought the cup to his lips and asked. The elder seated across from him said nothing, lips pressed tightly shut.
He was the High Priest of the Order Church. With the Goddess now in deep slumber, this elder led the church.
"No need for water, then."
The man’s gaze shifted after draining his cup clean. Kneeling beside him was another in identical scarlet robes. The man clicked his tongue at the figure’s occasional swaying, unable to withstand the vibrations.
"The cup’s empty."
In lieu of a reply, a wine bottle was lifted. The bottle shook, and the poured wine shook too. Fortunately, however, it neither spilled over nor overflowed the rim. The man eyed the precariously filled cup, then nodded.
"Care for a cup?"
—Boom!
The detached palace shook violently. The man chuckled and turned his head. Through the wide-open window stood a woman in pristine white priestly robes perched on the sill.
"Should I have used the door?"
Lorellia glanced at the High Priest and asked. He let out a short sigh and murmured.
"Doesn’t seem like a question that needs answering."
"Truly wise, High Priest. This Lorellia has already entered through the window. A window is a door, if you think about it!"
Her voice rang bright and lively, but her face held no smile. Eyes brimming with blood-red glow shifted from the High Priest to the man.
"Old man."
Her cold features twisted into a sneer.
"Here to scout your grave?"
"I heard you’d sinned and been thrown in prison. Seems the cell wasn’t half bad."
The man.
The Heavenly Demon chuckled and brought his cup to his lips.
"I’m not here to fight, so put away the killing intent. It’s ruining the wine."
"If the wine’s so good, why not guzzle it in your own room instead of here?"
Lorellia spat the words and leaped down from the sill. Striding past the Heavenly Demon, she plopped down beside the High Priest.
"How’d you find this place?"
"Where this lord wishes to go, he can go."
Lorellia’s eyes flashed with bloody light at the laughing reply.
It had been twenty years since the Union exiled them and they secluded in the sanctuary. They were self-sufficient in food from the sanctuary’s land, but other supplies were scarce.
The possessor entanglement. The slumbering Goddess. Amid these misfortunes, the Order Church’s finances were perpetually strained. No new followers joined, and most old ones had turned away.
Their secluded life in the sanctuary persisted only because... those faithful who hadn’t abandoned their faith remained. They lived outside concealing their devotion, sending tithes, and even non-believers who hadn’t forgotten sent donations.
Had one of them sold the sanctuary’s location to the cult? Who? She didn’t want to suspect the faithful—but everything entering the sanctuary passed through thorough laundering and the hands of devout believers.
"Which rat sold out our brothers and sisters’ home?"
"Am I obliged to answer?"
"If you won’t, this Lorellia has no choice but to enforce the church’s violent doctrine!"
"You want the answer straight from this lord? Beyond your power, though."
The Heavenly Demon set down his cup.
"You’ve progressed since last I saw, but not enough to kill me. You know that."
"Mutual destruction?"
"Worth a shot. Though unlikely."
"Even if mutual destruction fails, ripping off your arm before dying wouldn’t be a dog’s death, would it, old man?"
"This lord’s arm for your life? The scales don’t balance, I’d say. If you’re set on it, go ahead."
The Heavenly Demon smiled faintly, gazing at Lorellia. The blood-red blaze couldn’t swallow the abyss. But she paid it no mind.
She was fire enacting divine punishment, a rakshasa exterminating evil, an apostle righting heaven’s order. Crack... Her fingers slowly clenched. Vast killing intent, enough to incinerate the world, focused on the Heavenly Demon.
"Hmm."
The Heavenly Demon tilted his head slowly. A intrigued smile played on his lips as he stroked his chin.
"Impressive divine art mastery. But you haven’t shed your delusions."
"Nonsense."
"This lord didn’t come to fight you. Just wanted to see your face after so long."
"This Lorellia has no intention of chatting with you."
"Is that so? Pity."
As Lorellia’s killing intent swelled further, the High Priest, eyes closed, let out a long sigh.
"It was me."
The abrupt declaration startled Lorellia into turning. Without opening his eyes, he continued.
"I contacted the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult directly."
"High Priest? This Lorellia can’t comprehend your words!"
"I requested aid."
The High Priest opened his eyes. Pupils amid deep wrinkles fixed on Lorellia.
"Churches led by the War Church hunt us. Not just them—heretics worshiping the evil god do too, some guided by your siblings, even killing them personally, possessors among them."
"..."
"Many who lost kin to possessors resent us. Some still support us, but when all that malice arrives, how many will gladly draw blades to defend us? The sanctuary’s barriers hide us for now, but we need preparations."
Lorellia glared silently at the High Priest. Her killing intent endured, but he didn’t yield. His words were utterly pragmatic. The church’s plight was dire enough to beg the cult’s aid, enemies legion.
"A realistic compromise, no?"
The Heavenly Demon chuckled, lifting his discarded cup. No wine followed this time—his companion frozen stiff by the ferocious intent. Utterly expected, so no rebuke. Praise for not fainting or rolling eyes.
"This lord bears no grudge against the Order Church. Bow your heads, and there’s no reason not to shelter you."
Wine droplets rose from the bottle’s mouth, falling like rain into the empty cup.
"This Lorellia cannot accept it."
She spat at the High Priest.
"Don’t you know the cult, High Priest? Demonic heads kill for sport! Lustful fiends craving children’s vital essence! Ghoul-like cannibals chewing flesh and drinking blood for blood art advancement!"
She knew. The cult was madmen seeking godhood via the demonic path—humanity’s forsaken way. Called demonic heads, most were inhuman lunatics.
"The cult’s very existence disrupts world order, breeds chaos! We guardians of order under cult protection? What contradiction!"
"Lorellia."
The High Priest sighed deeply.
"Who do you think stands closest to god-slaying now?"
"..."
"I know the answer. Not the Sword Emperor, not you, not the War Church’s poison star. Not the Apex, not Mystic Night, not Heavenly Thunder, not Radiant Wheel Dharma King."
His gaze turned forward.
"The Heavenly Demon."
"..."
"I won’t say your stance is wrong. I requested cult aid, yet view the demonic path as wicked. But the one nearest god-slaying, capable of killing the evil god, is the Heavenly Demon."
Now Lorellia closed her eyes.
"The Goddess of Order desired the evil god’s death. She devoted herself to the possessor and entered long slumber. We priests guided the possessor in her absence. Thus, the Order Church falls."
"..."
"I... don’t resent the Goddess. But I won’t abandon her faithful siblings to worldly scorn and death."
"This Lorellia will prevent that."
"One hand can’t block ten."
"If our protection by the cult leaks, the world will mock the Order Church."
"When the evil god dies and the Goddess awakens, I’ll mount the War Church’s scaffold."
Lorellia’s eyes snapped open in shock. The High Priest’s face was calmly composed.
"My head can’t erase all scorn aimed at the church, but it’ll symbolize accountability."
"I’ll build a training ground."
The Heavenly Demon, who’d been quietly drinking and listening, spoke.
"Easiest would be all of you relocating to Subduing Demon Hall, but you can’t leave the sanctuary?"
"..."
"Nearby mountains look decent. Shove in cult youths aspiring to the future; a dragon might emerge."
A cult training ground in the nearby wild hills would deter church enemies from approaching, and without leaks, our cult protection stays hidden.
Ultimately, the Order Church survives under cult shelter.
Called fiendish, her devotion to the church and faith in the Goddess were genuine, leaving Lorellia powerless here.
—Training ground...
"Dragon?"
Lorellia’s lips twisted.
"Lone, more like."
The Heavenly Demon smiled quietly at her mutter. She glared at his smile and spat.
"...What do you demand as aid’s price?"
"Nothing from the church."
The Heavenly Demon replied. Draining his cup, he continued.
"Lorellia. Nothing from you either. This lord’s wish... hmm, not sure."
He smiled faintly, stroking his chin.
"I hear if the possessor kills the evil god, the Goddess grants a wish. Can this lord claim one too?"
"..."
"Thought about it, but no appeal. This lord can achieve all he desires already. But who knows. Someday he might want something beyond even his power."
The empty cup hit the floor.
"Might never happen, but best leave room."
No immediate demands on the church, but aid granted. That was the Heavenly Demon’s intent. Lorellia glared silently, then shifted to his kneeling companion.
"That your disciple?"
Build suggested female, but a pure white mask hid the face.
"Rumor she’s a possessor? Hiding your face for that? Pointless. Even barefaced, your supervising priest wouldn’t name you."
"She might not be."
The Heavenly Demon spoke for his silent disciple.
"Mask’s for the ugly burns on her face."
"I’m called Biyeon."
The voice from behind the mask was terribly hoarse. Closer look revealed burn scars across her skin. Voice damaged in the fire too, it seemed.
"They say cult possessors catch others, grind them into spirit elixirs, and devour them."
Lorellia glared at the bowed Biyeon.
"Did you feed your disciple such elixirs?"
"Said she might not be one."
"No mind games with you."
"Want answers from this lord? Entertain with a tale. What sin landed you in the punishment cell?"
Unanswerable. Even if she could, no desire to. Lorellia flashed a bright smile; the Heavenly Demon laughed heartily, as if expected.
"Got the cult’s divine relic safe?"
"Hah, so that’s why you called this Lorellia. Want it back? Gifting your disciple?"
"No. Not reclaiming, nor giving her."
"Good! I smashed that thing ages ago."
"So it’s gone from you now."
"Think what you will."
The Heavenly Demon eyed the still-smiling Lorellia amusedly. Soon, he rose.
"No need for more talk. Time to go."
Biyeon rose politely too. Empty bottle and cup crumbled silently to dust and vanished.
"Why summon this Lorellia?"
"To see you once."
The Heavenly Demon, hands behind back, looked down at her.
"Check how much stronger since last. As said, divine art mastery’s superb. But delusions cling. Or not?"
"Nonsense."
"Lorellia. Old ties, so this lord advises personally."
Abyss-like eyes curved slyly.
"Faith aids not in shedding mortal chains for godhood."
"..."
"You know the answer best. What you can’t discard. What binds you. What you hesitate over. What you doubt..."
He extended a finger into empty air. Rip, crackle... Slowly dragging down, it tore space. The wide rent became a pitch-black portal.
"Awaken from delusion, Lorellia. Discard, burn, temper yourself. Advice from senior brother to young sister."
"Grown senile, have you?"
Lorellia’s eyes gleamed murderously.
"Spouting lame advice. Time to croak for real?"
"Who can kill this lord?"
The Heavenly Demon laughed lowly and stepped into the portal. Swallowing Biyeon, space resealed. Though gone, Lorellia glared at his spot long after.
"This Lorellia is but a mere priest, so must obey the High Priest’s decision."
Silence broke. Lorellia rose, turning to him.
"Thus, this Lorellia says no more! But should you mount the War Church scaffold someday, I’ll shed tears of pity."
"Such wicked words."
"You made this Lorellia wicked."
With that, she strode to the sill.
"Returning to the punishment cell?"
"This Lorellia did sin. Lacks your scaffold gall, High Priest, but will face the wall in penance."
"He."
The High Priest’s words halted her.
"Do you think he can kill the evil god?"
"You know we can’t share possessor info, High Priest?"
"Asking your heart."
Half a year prior meeting.
Lorellia smiled faintly.
"This Lorellia but follows divine will."